You must email or call the school each day your child is absent.
To submit an absence excuse for your child, please click the link above,
or use the QR code
To submit an absence excuse for your child, please click the link above,
or use the QR code
The following has been adapted from the New Haven Public Schools "Student/Parent Handbook"
Process for Absences
Schools take daily attendance. School secretaries note students who are absent and download the information to PowerSchools, the NHPS computerized data system. A student who has been absent on four consecutive days without an excuse is considered truant. Students absent four days or more will trigger:
Student Attendance, Absences and Excuses
It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children attend school each day. In the case of illness or other unavoidable circumstances that may prevent your child from attending school, parents are expected to contact the school each day. In the case of a long-term illness, parents must notify the school immediately in order that a special program of instruction can be developed. A student may be retained in a grade with an absence of twenty or more days from school. An appeal process has been established to consider students with extenuating circumstances.
A student who has four unexcused absences in a month or 20 unexcused absences from school in any school year is considered an “habitual truant”, and after a review and evaluation of the reasons for the student’s truancy, the Superior Court Juvenile Matters “Family with Service Needs” (FWSN) report and the school will coordinate services and referrals with community agencies.
In 2012, the Connecticut Department of Education changed its policy regarding what is considered an excused absence. The new policy is as follows:
A student’s absence from school shall be considered excused if written documentation of the reason for the absence has been submitted within ten school days of the student’s return to school or in accordance with Section 10-210 of the Connecticut General Statutes and meets the following criteria:
Additional Unexcused Absences
Student who is absent 4 days (letter to parents & parent must contact school by deadline). Student is absent 10 days (school notifies parent; hearing is held at school; non-response from parents will trigger guidance to fill out Families with Service Needs form that will be sent to truancy court). Student is absent 15+ days (parent is notified and has five days to attend a formal hearing or student may face consequences).
These policies are in the process of being reviewed and may be updated or revised in the coming year. Any changes to policy will be communicated to parents.
Process for Absences
Schools take daily attendance. School secretaries note students who are absent and download the information to PowerSchools, the NHPS computerized data system. A student who has been absent on four consecutive days without an excuse is considered truant. Students absent four days or more will trigger:
- Action by the prevention worker: Back to the school, the dropout/prevention worker will attempt to reach the parent or guardian by phone and/or arrange a home visit. If the truancy worker has problems reaching the parent, he or she will visit the home. If that is unsuccessful, the next step is that the truancy worker sends a registered letter to the home to verify residency. If that fails, then the truancy worker will contact the student to try and resolve the best way to reach the parent.
- Talk to the parent about the issue; Inform the parent about help from social service agencies and other assistance available; Advise the parent that a student with 4 or more unexcused absences will be subject to a Family with Service Needs referral;
- Continued truancy may result in referral of the student to a truancy session of YouthStat; Ask parent to sign documentation showing that he or she was visited and advised.
Student Attendance, Absences and Excuses
It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children attend school each day. In the case of illness or other unavoidable circumstances that may prevent your child from attending school, parents are expected to contact the school each day. In the case of a long-term illness, parents must notify the school immediately in order that a special program of instruction can be developed. A student may be retained in a grade with an absence of twenty or more days from school. An appeal process has been established to consider students with extenuating circumstances.
A student who has four unexcused absences in a month or 20 unexcused absences from school in any school year is considered an “habitual truant”, and after a review and evaluation of the reasons for the student’s truancy, the Superior Court Juvenile Matters “Family with Service Needs” (FWSN) report and the school will coordinate services and referrals with community agencies.
In 2012, the Connecticut Department of Education changed its policy regarding what is considered an excused absence. The new policy is as follows:
A student’s absence from school shall be considered excused if written documentation of the reason for the absence has been submitted within ten school days of the student’s return to school or in accordance with Section 10-210 of the Connecticut General Statutes and meets the following criteria:
- For absences one through nine, a student’s absences from school are considered excused when the student’s parent/guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation; and
- For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’s absences from school are considered excused for the following reasons:
- Student illness (Note: all student illness absences must be verified by an appropriately licensed medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of absence)
- Student’s observance of a religious holiday;
- Death in the student’s family or other emergency beyond the control of the student’s family;
- Mandated court appearances (additional documentation required);
- The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a district other than the one the student attends (no parental documentation is required for this reason);
- Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by district administrators and in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education guidance.
Additional Unexcused Absences
Student who is absent 4 days (letter to parents & parent must contact school by deadline). Student is absent 10 days (school notifies parent; hearing is held at school; non-response from parents will trigger guidance to fill out Families with Service Needs form that will be sent to truancy court). Student is absent 15+ days (parent is notified and has five days to attend a formal hearing or student may face consequences).
These policies are in the process of being reviewed and may be updated or revised in the coming year. Any changes to policy will be communicated to parents.